Diabetes is a metabolic disease which relates to high blood sugar levels in the body and can be a result of the pancreas failing to produce enough insulin or cells in the body responding improperly to insulin produced. Numerous complications can arise if symptoms of diabetes are not carefully monitored and treated include diabetic ketoacidosis, nonketotick hypersmolar coma, cardiovascular disease, stroke, kidney failure, foot ulcers, eye damage and others. Traditionally, monitoring has involved an individual pricking a finger to draw blood and testing the blood for glucose levels. More recent advancements have allowed for long-term monitoring of blood glucose using sensors which are maintained in the body for periods of days, weeks, or longer.
Long-term monitoring of analytes in bodily fluid can be accomplished when a user assembles a sterile sensor control device with an applicator or insertion mechanism and inserts a sensor of the device into contact with a bodily fluid. While current sensors can be convenient for users, they can suffer from user errors which cause malfunctions. These malfunctions can be caused by improper use due to accidents, lack of education, poor coordination, complicated procedures and other issues. Some prior art systems suffer by relying too much on the precision assembly of a sensor control device and an applicator by the user, prior to actually deploying the sensor control device on the user's body.
Thus, needs exist for more reliable sensor application devices that are easy to use by the patient.